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Seal's Open Wound Is A Call For Help

IFAW's Sarah Herzig reports after the rescue of a wounded seal on the beaches of Cape Cod, USA:

A sub-adult male gray sea with injuries to the left shoulder reported swimming in and around the waters of Chatham and Orleans at the end of last week was rescued yesterday by the Cape Cod Stranding Network, a project of IFAW.

The animal had been seen for five days prior to hauling out of the water in a location where rescuers could collect the animal for rehabilitation. The large seal (weighing over three hundred pounds) was significantly malnourished and lethargic, and the wounds were showing signs of infection. The animal was herded into a specially designed large wooden kennel and carried up the beach to an awaiting vehicle.

The animal was then transported off the remote stretch of beach and driven up to the University of New England for longer term rehabilitation. Although lethargic and highly stressed, the seal was able to make it through his first night at the rehab clinic in Maine and will hopefully be able to make a full recovery.